Green Towne, son of Deacon Towne, who was a captain under General Green in the Revolution and also served in the French and Indian war, married Lucy, daughter of Capt. Solomon Rand, of Rindge. He reared a family of eight children, five of whom are now living. His son Levi P. married Emily A., daughter of Jonathan and Harriet (Dwinell) Sawyer, of East Alstead. He has two children and is a thriving farmer on road 53.
A particular account of the captivity and redemption of Mrs. Jemima Howe, who was taken prisoner by the Indians at Hinsdale, New Hampshire, on the twenty-seventh of July, 1765, as communicated to Dr. Belknap by the Rev. Bunker Gay. As Messrs. Caleb Howe, Hilkiah Grout, and Benjamin Gaffield, who had been hoeing corn in the meadow, west of the river, were returning home, a little before sunset, to a place called Bridgman’s fort, they were fired upon by twelve Indians, who had ambushed their path. Howe was on horseback, with two young lads, his children, behind him. A ball, which … Read more
John F. Butler is the youngest of the children of Jonathan and Martha (Russell) Butler, and was born in Marlow, June 14, 1831. His father, who was a farmer, died when John was twelve years of age, leaving him chiefly to his own efforts to provide the means for his support and education, which he accomplished by jobbing, teaching district and writing schools during his vacations, receiving also substantial aid from the best of mothers. He received his preliminary training in the district school and at Marlow academy, “Tubb’s Union” at Washington, and under the private instruction of Prof. Wood, … Read more
Abner Harris, son of Abner, came to this town from Woodstock, Conn., soon after 1777, and purchased 150 acres of land, the same being a part of the farm which has long been known as the Harris farm. His children were Abner, John, Perley, Elizabeth, Experience, Esther, Tamar, Deborah, Sarah, Lydia, Mary, Thomas, Zerviah and Dolly. Wilder, son of John and grandson of Abner, was born May 11, 1797, married three times, first, Harriet, daughter of John Davis, in 1817,who died November 2o, 1851; second, Mrs. Nancy J. Wood, of Saxton’s River, Vt., July 5, 1854, who died in December, … Read more
Jonathan D. Gibbs, son of Joseph S., married twice, first, Rhoda, daughter of Edward and Rhoda (Lawe) Locke, of Westminister, Mass., who bore him one daughter, Elizabeth R., now living; second, Sarah H., daughter of Thomas and Rebecca (Merriam) Wilson. of Mason, N. H. He first settled in Jaffrey upon a farm on road 3, where he remained twelve years, and then moved to Jaffrey Center, where he stayed until his death, March 2, 1882. He published a very accurate map of the town of Jaffrey which is highly prized. His wife and daughter occupy the homestead at the present … Read more
Dr. Algernon Sidney Carpenter, son of Dr. Eber and Judith (Greene) Carpenter, was born in Alstead, N. H., October 16, 1814, and was descended from a family pre-eminently distinguished by the large number of skillful physicians it produced. He was educated in the common schools of his native town, and at Middlebury Medical college, from which he received the degree of M. D., in June, 1837. While acquiring his education he taught school in various places, and was, for a short time, in a store at Chesterfield. With the exception of a few years spent in Gardner and Northfield, Mass., … Read more
Joseph Atherton, son of Oliver, of Howard, Mass., came to this town about 1794, and located upon what is now known as “Atherton hill.” He held many of the town offices and was highly respected. He died April 4, 1839. He married Hannah Farnsworth, in 1771, who bore him eight children: Nathaniel, Oliver, Arathusa, Sally, Humphrey, Fanny, Rachel and Lucy. William, son of Nathaniel, born December 18. 1826, married Hannah M. Pierce, and resides on road 13. Maria, daughter of Oliver, resides on road 28.
The first baptism in town was administered in September, 1768, by Rev. Thomas Fessenden, of Walpole. In 1770 the town “chose nine men to conduct religious worship,” one of the number being appointed to procure a minister. Its 1773 a committee was chosen to select a site for building a house of worship, and the same year Rev. James Treadway was employed to supply the town with preaching, and was subsequently given a call to settle with them in the ministry, but declined because no church had been organized. In 1776 a vote was passed by the town to build … Read more
Moses Dudley, son of Nahum, was born October 18, 1794, and married Persis, daughter of Rev. Allen Pratt, of Westmoreland. From 1817 till 1851 he was engaged in tanning at the Center village, and afterwards in farming, having purchased a farm in the western part of the town, where he died, April 16, 1874. He was selectman in 1832, 1833, 1835, 1847, and delegate to the constitutional convention in 1850. His children were Allen Pratt, Hannah C., Charles P., William L., and Persis M. William L., born December 20, 1824, married Mary Caroline, daughter of Thomas B. and Betsey R. … Read more
Levi Gates came to Marlboro with his father, from Massachusetts, about the year 1805, locating in the southern part of the town. He died about 1860, aged sixty-nine years. His son, Winslow L., is still a resident of the town.
Jesse Hinds came to Chesterfield about 1805, and settled on a farm in the southeastern part of the town. Corlis, son of Jessie, was born November 12, 1814, and married Harriet M., daughter of Elisha Hill, November 26, 1846. His children are Arthur C., Fernando P., Harriet E., Sarah M., Caroline L., Jesse B., Manly H., Louisa L., Royal T., Flora May, Noble A., Ernest W.,. William W., and Melvin A.
Chesterfield lies in the western part of the county, in lat. 42° 54′ and long. 4° 40′, bounded north by Westmoreland and Keene, east by Keene and Swanzey, south by Winchester and Hinsdale, and west by the west bank of Connecticut river, and has an area, exclusive of the Connecticut, of about forty-four square miles, or 28,160 acres. In tracing the sketch of the grant of Chesterfield, etc., it is necessary to glance at the trouble attending the settlement of the boundary line between New Hampshire and Massachusetts, which are written up in the sketch of Hinsdale and in the … Read more
David Lacy came from Andover, Mass., and settled in Jaffrey previous to 1790, locating on lot 14, tier 8, and his name appears among those of early. land-surveyors. He married Charlotte, daughter of Jonathan Mollie (Fitch) Blodgett, November 2, 1788, and had born to him nine children. His son William married Betsey Brondson, May 26, 1829, and se in Jaffrey, engaging in mercantile pursuits in company with E. Cutter and L. Sweetzer, occupying the Ainsworth store. By diligence and economy found means to enlarge his trade, and in the spring of 1854, he bought stocked the Foster store, of East … Read more
Kittredge, Lewis Harris; automobile business; born, Harrisville, N. H., June 18, 1871; son of Samuel Grant and Harriet Louise Harris Kittredge; educated, Keene, N. H., High School, New Hampshire State College, degree of B. S.; 1896-1897, with New York Belting & Packing Co., Passaic, N. J.; 1897 to present time with The Peerless Motor Car Co. of Ohio, pres. since 1906, same office for the company in New York and New England; director The Peerlees Motor Car Co. of Ohio; pres. since 1906, same office for the Company in New York and New England; director the Peerless Motor Car Co. … Read more
The Methodist Episcopal church, located at the village, was organized by its first pastor, Rev. Thomas L. Fowler, with sixty members, in 1859. Their church building will seat 250 persons, cost $1,300.00, and is now valued, including grounds, etc., at $3,000.00. The society now has ninety-eight members, with Rev. C. W. Dockrill, pastor. The church also has a Sabbathschool with 107 member and an average attendance of sixty-four.
Roswell Hubbard moved to Sullivan, from Northfield, Mass., at an early day, and settled in the central part of the town where he died. He was a farmer, took an active part in town affairs, being known as Esquire Hubbard, and was also town representative. His son George, born in Sullivan, September 4, 1797, resided in this town until his death, in 1852. He was captain of the militia, and was also a farmer. George C., one of his two chit dren, represented Sullivan two terms in the legislature. He moved to Marlow in 1872, and, in 1874, came to … Read more
Charles Franklin Kingsbury was born in Gilsum June 11, 1824, being the third child of William and Temperance (Leonard). Kingsbury. Until the age of twenty he lived and worked on the farm, ‘having no opportunity for an education except the public schools of not more than ten or twelve weeks each winter. He was anxious for an education, and that he might have the means to attend an academy, spring and fall, he worked on the farm two or three months in summer, and taught school in the winter. In 1848 he entered Norwich University, Vt., where he remained three … Read more
Peter Upton, son of Jonathan and Nancy (Whittemore) Upton, was born in Tyngsborough, Mass., October 1, 1816. He came to Jaffrey in October, 1837, and entered the store of Hiram Duncan as clerk. Two years later he was admitted to an equal partnership in the new firm of Duncan & Upton. Upon the death of Mr. Duncan, in 1840, the business was continued by Mr. Upton, to whom was also committed the settlement of the estate of his late partner. and the completion of many important trusts which Mr. Duncan had in charge. He continued actively-engaged in trade until 1851, … Read more
Erastus Sargent, son of Thomas, and great-grandson of Digory Sargent, settled in Chesterfield in 1792 or 1793. He married Annas Snow, who bore him seven children, namely: Edwin, Diana, Jason, Edith, Warren, Angeline, and Alanson. Edwin born December 16, 1793, married Sally, daughter of David Stoddard, December 27, 1815. He resided for a while on the paternal farm, then moved to the farm afterwards owned by his son, Oscar E. He was town representative in 1842. He had born to him nine children, as follows: Louisa, Emily, Corydon, John H., David W., Charles R., Jude S., Oscar E., and Frederick.
Of the first settlement of the town, little is known. The first settler was William Thornton, who located on lot 1, range 6, probably in the year 1752. His daughter, Molly Thornton, it is said, was the first child born in the town. He lived here only a few years, however, leaving through fear of the Indians. He was a brother of Matthew Thornton, who was the first named, as he was by far the most distinguished of the proprietors, and much the largest landowner in the town, having at one time twenty-eight shares, or eighty-four lots. He was a … Read more